Grants! Grants! Grants! Nov 1 Deadline!

Four Arts Grant Applications have November 01, 2015 Deadline!

Apply Now for up to $10,000.00 in the Arts Legacy Category!

Warren, Minnesota (October 26, 2015) – Arts Legacy grants of up to $10,000.00, Arts Project grants of up to $3,000.00, Arts Equipment for Schools grants of up to $3,000.00 and Fellowship grants of $5,000.00 all have a Sunday, November 01, 2015 deadline!

Grant money is available from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council. Grants are awarded to nonprofit arts organizations, communities, schools, individuals and other nonprofit organizations. Applications are being accepted from our seven county Minnesota service area including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau counties.

Individual adult artists can apply on November 1 for a NWMAC/McKnight Fellowship grant of $5,000.00 or if their project has a very strong community focus, they can apply for an Arts Legacy Grant of up to $10,000.00. Performing artists, visual artists, media artists, creative writing artists are all welcome to apply.

The Arts Legacy Grants is a main category for funding artistic activity within the seven county service region. Funding for the grants comes from the Minnesota State Legislature through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. A maximum of $10,000.00 can be requested. Applicants must provide cash match and it is recommended that it be between 25% – 50% although some projects may be approved with as little as 10% cash match if they are innovative and fit a unique need.

An example of Arts Legacy Grants in action comes from the City of Newfolden, Mn. In 2014, they applied for a grant to commission a bronze sculpture by artist Nick Legeros of Minneapolis in the likeness of a former community Mayor, Fire Chief and Businessman, Stan Holmass. The bronze sculpture is now firmly ensconced at the Stan Holmaas Memorial Park. Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is pleased to be able to help communities like this honor their past while giving joy to the present.

Arts Project Grants are used primarily for small budget arts projects and the sponsorship of performances of touring companies and artists. These grants are a maximum of $3,000.00 with a required cash match. This grant programs have substantially less reporting requirements than Legacy grants.

Applications funded through these two very important grant opportunities include festivals, community theatre projects, folk music entertainment, sponsorship of visual demonstrations, creative writing workshops and many other activities that improve the quality of life of people in our communities. Arts Legacy grants and Arts Project grants have annual deadlines of August 1, November 1, and February 1 each year. This November 1 deadline is the second round for these two categories.

Arts Equipment for Schools Grants are considered a special category of our Arts Project Grant Program. This grant allows schools to purchase artistic equipment for their art room, theater, band room, etc. Equipment that is used solely for the pursuit of arts like a kiln or theater lights, or a band instrument has a better chance of being funded. There is one annual deadline for this grant on November 1. Grants of up to $3,000.00 are awarded with a 25% cash match requirement.

Also available on a first come-first served basis are Artist Residency Grants for are School Districts. Grants of $2100.00 are awarded to sponsor artists working with children usually in a traditional weeklong residency but it can also be a different format that serves your school or summer program. An extra $400.00 may be requested for art residencies that need supplies. Schools are strongly urged to use a COMPAS roster artist because they have been professionally trained in working in schools. Local artists that are sponsored need to provide lesson plans and show their professionalism in a classroom setting.

To learn more about these grant programs and start an application visit www.NorthwestMinnesotaArtsCouncil.org, click on the Current Grants Formsunder the Grants Tab. The grant application process is completely online and NWMAC’s Executive Director Mara Hanel can help walk you through the process of using the grants portal to get accustomed to it. There are also informative step-by-step video’s posted to our website to help you out.

Funding for these programs comes primarily from the Minnesota State Legislature. The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is one of eleven regional arts councils in the state. All eleven councils work together with their fiscal agent the Minnesota State Arts Board to provide arts services, staffing, and grants. The McKnight Foundation is another funding source helping local arts councils promote and serve the arts community.